Direct drive windshield wiper assembly

Abstract

A windshield wiper assembly including at least one motor having an output shaft and a windshield wiper operatively connected to the output shaft. The motor includes a stator adapted to provide an electromagnetic flux and a rotor assembly supported for rotation about the stator. The rotor assembly includes a back iron that defines an inner circumference and a plurality of magnets disposed in spaced parallel relationship relative to one another about the inner circumference of the back iron and in radially spaced relationship about the stator. The rotor assembly is operatively connected to the output shaft and responsive to electromagnetic flux generated by the stator so as to provide a rotational force to the output shaft to drive the windshield wiper in repeated wiping motion across the windshield.

1. A windshield wiper assembly comprising:
 at least one motor having an output shaft and a windshield wiper operatively connected to said output shaft such that said windshield wiper may be driven in repeated wiping motion across the surface of the windshield; 
 said motor including a stator adapted to provide an electromagnetic flux and a rotor assembly supported for rotation about said stator, said rotor assembly including a back iron that defines an inner circumference and a plurality of magnets disposed in spaced parallel relationship relative to one another about said inner circumference of said back iron and in radially spaced relationship about said stator, said inner circumference of said back iron including a plurality of chord surfaces corresponding to said plurality of magnets, and a plurality of arcs disposed between adjacent ones of said plurality of chord surfaces, each one of said plurality of magnets operatively mounted to a corresponding one of said plurality of chord surfaces on said inner circumference of said back iron, said rotor assembly operatively connected to said output shaft and responsive to the electromagnetic flux generated by said stator so as to provide a rotational force to said output shaft to drive said windshield wiper in repeated wiping motion across the windshield. 
 
     
     
       2. A windshield wiper assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each one of said plurality of magnets has a rectangular shape defining a major axis disposed generally parallel to the axis of said output shaft of said motor. 
     
     
       3. A windshield wiper assembly as set forth in  claim 2  wherein each one of said plurality of rectangular magnets defines a north and south pole at opposite ends thereof, and wherein the north pole of each magnet is disposed in spaced parallel relationship to the south pole of an adjacent magnet. 
     
     
       4. A windshield wiper assembly as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said back iron is tubular and defines a pair of ends and where at least one of said poles on each of said plurality of magnets is longitudinally spaced from an associated end of said back iron.